FILE- This undated file photo provided by the Whistler family shows Ella Whistler. Whistler was shot in a classroom Friday, May 25, 2018 at Noblesville West Middle School in Noblesville, Ind., near Indianapolis. (Whistler family via AP, File)

The Latest: Girl seriously wounded in school attack improves

May 29, 2018 - 1:25 am

The Associated Press

NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (AP) — The Latest on a science teacher shot while tackling an armed student in Indiana (all times local):

1 p.m.

School officials say a 13-year-old student who was critically wounded during a shooting at her Indiana middle school is improving.

The principal of Noblesville West Middle School said Monday that student Ella Whistler is doing better. The school district's superintendent says Ella is making progress in her recovery while hospitalized in Indianapolis.

Authorities say Ella was shot Friday morning when an armed student walked into her seventh-grade classroom at the suburban Indianapolis school. Her family said she was hospitalized in critical but stable condition.

Science teacher Jason Seaman tackled the armed student and is being credited with stopping the shooting.

Seaman was shot but not seriously injured. Speaking publicly for the first time since the shooting, the teacher said Saturday that Ella's courage is "nothing short of remarkable."

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9:55 a.m.

An Indiana teacher who was shot while tackling an armed student says he wants the public to focus on a 13-year-old girl who was seriously injured in the classroom shooting.

The seventh-grade science teacher spoke publicly for the first time on Monday since the shooting Friday inside his classroom at Noblesville West Middle School. Noblesville is a suburb of Indianapolis.

Seaman was shot as he tackled the armed student. The 29-year-old former college football player was released from a hospital Saturday.

He says he's still processing what happened. But he says his steps that day "were the only acceptable actions" to save his students.

Seaman spoke for just a few minutes. He didn't disclose any details of the shooting and declined to take questions from reporters.

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9:15 a.m.

The Indiana teacher who stopped a school shooting says his swift decisions were the "only acceptable actions" to save his students.

Jason Seaman spoke publicly Monday for the first time, three days after he tackled and disarmed a student with a gun at Noblesville West Middle School.

Seaman was shot but not seriously injured. A 13-year-old girl is in critical but stable condition. Seaman says he acted because he cares deeply about his students.

Noblesville Superintendent Beth Niedermeyer says the community "endured a horrific and senseless tragedy." She says Seaman, a seventh grade teacher and football coach, "put his own life in danger" for others.

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This story has been corrected to fix spelling of Beth Niedermeyer's last name.

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12:30 a.m.

A science teacher who was shot while tackling an armed student at a suburban Indianapolis middle school is scheduled to speak about the incident.

The school district says Jason Seaman will discuss the shooting during a press conference Monday morning. The school's principal and district superintendent will also be on hand.

The shooting happened Friday morning at Noblesville West Middle School.

Student witness Ethan Stonebraker told ABC News that Seaman threw a basketball at the shooter and ran toward the gunfire to tackle the suspect.

Another student, Ella Whistler, was also shot. Her family said Saturday that she remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition.

The district says Seaman will also be honored at a baseball game Monday morning at Noblesville High School.